Sodium percarbonate of human health

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Sodium percarbonate is mainly used as a bleaching chemical in laundry detergents, laundry additives and machine dishwashing products. The pure product (100 %) is also available for consumers as a laundry additive. Sodium percarbonate may also be used in products for drain cleaning, multipurpose cleaning or for denture cleansing. The amount of sodium percarbonate, which is used in household cleaning products in Europe, was estimated to be 100,000 150,000 tonnes in 2001 but the amount is expected to increase the coming years.Sodium percarbonate has a low acute toxicity via the oral and dermal route. The existing animal data on acute toxicity show that Sodium percarbonate has a local effect. In animal tests a slight irritating effect on the skin was reported for solid sodium percarbonate and it was highly irritating to the rabbit eye (not rinsed). Sodium percarbonate did not have sensitising properties in a test with guinea pigs. When consumers are exposed to sodium percarbonate, neither hydrogen peroxide nor sodium carbonate will be systemically available due to their effective detoxification (degradation or neutralisation) in the body. Consequently it is to be expected that the concentration of hydrogen peroxide and sodium in the blood and the pH of the blood will not be increased. Therefore, neither Sodium percarbonate itself nor hydrogen peroxide or carbonate will reach the organs or the foetus and there is no risk for systemic, developmental or reproductive toxicity. With regard to genotoxicity and carcinogenicity the properties of sodium percarbonate also resemble